finnell



' (No Mod-Q1.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- W.T. PINNELL. DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 360,870. PatentedApr. 12, 18237.

@MMM/wouw UNITED STATES Y PATENT OEEICEo WILLIAM rrH-OMAS EINNELL, OE OAKLAND CITY, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONEIIALE rro N. ie. WILSON, OE SAME IJLAGE.

MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 360,870, dated April 12, 1887.

` Appli-cation led August 17, 1886. Serial No. 211,152. (No model.)

To all whom it mayV concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM THOMAS FIN- NELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland City, in the county of Gibson and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ditching- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My Vinvention relates to improvements in ditching-machines; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation ofa ditching-machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 4 is afransverse section taken on the line :c m of Fig. 2.

A represents the main frame of the machine, which consists of the side beams, B, that are connected together by the transverse beams C, and at their front' ends by a transverse beam, D, and a bolster, E.

Frepresents a horizontal longitudinal guidew-ay, which is secured on the two beams G nearest the rear ends of the side beams, and in the said guideway slides a block, G, having projecting flanges or keepers H, that bear upon the upper sides ofthe guideway, so as to support the block. To the frontend ot' this block is hinged a hand-lever, I.

K represents the front axle, which is piv# Oted to the front end of the machine-frame by a king-bolt, which passes down through the beam D and the bolster E. On the front axle are mounted supporting-wheels L.

M represents the rear axle, which is bolted to the under sides of the side beams at a considerable distance from the rear ends thereof. On the rear axle are journaled supportingwheels N and O. The wheel Non the righthand side of the frame is secured to the gearwheel l?, or the said gear-wheel may be formed integrally with the wheel N, and therebycaused to rotate therewith. To the Wheel O is attached a sprocket-wheel, R.

S represents a pair of brackets, which are bolted on the upper sides of the beams B, at the rear ends thereof, the said brackets extending rearwardly beyond the rear ends of the said beams and having supporting-arms S'. On the upper sides of the brackets S, near Fig. -2is a top plan view of the same.

their front ends, are formed bearings S2, in which is journaled a transverse shaft, T. On one end'of the said shaft is secured a small 55 sprocketwheel, T', which is connected to the wheel R by means of an endless chain, T2.v The shaft T is also provided with a gearwheel, T3.

U represents a transverse shaft, which is 6o journaled in the brackets S in rear Of the shaft T. To one end of the-said shaft U is rigidly secured a gear-pinion, U', which meshes withthe gear-wheel T3.l

V represents an elevating-trough, which has its rear upper end hinged on the IshaftU, and the central portion of the shaft U, between the sides of the trough, is provided with a drum or roller, U2. In the lower front end of the trough V is journaled a transverse roller, V'. 7c

V2 represents an endless carrier-apron,whioh connects the rollers V and U2, and forms the bottom for the elevating-trough..

X represents an elevating-rod, which passes -through an opening made in the sliding block G. This rod is provided with a series of openings, X', and its lower end is bifurcated to form depending arms X2;

Y represents a plow-beam, which is provided with rearward and downwardly extend- 8O ing standards Y', which are pivoted to the lower ends of the arms X2 of the elevating rod. Between the lower ends of the lsaid standards is secured an inclined plow, Y2,the front end of which is beveled on opposite sides to a 8 5 central point. These beveled edges are sharpened. From the under side of the plow, near the upper end thereof, depends a curved guard, Y,which is adapted to the contour of the front end of the endless carrier, and the lower edge 9o of this guard-plate is on the same plane with the point of the plow, and thereby moves in the bottom of the furrow made by the plow. From the ends of the guard-plate X3 extend rearwardly-promoting arms X, having their rear ends pivoted upon the spindles of the roller V', and thus forming a hinged joint to connect the plow to the lower front end of the elevator.

Z represents a pair ofI revolving colters or IOO cutting-disks,which are jonrnaled to the lower ends of arms Z', that depend from the lower side of the plow-beam. These oolters are located ata distance apart corresponding to the width of the ditches to be excavated. The front end of the plow-beam is provided with a hook, which engages a ring, a, that is attached to the rear end of a draft-chain, b. The said draft-chain passes through an eye, c, formed in the lower end of an elevating-rod, d, the said rod being similar to the rod X, and eX- tending through a slotted plate, c, attached to the front end of the frame. The rod d :is provided with a series of openings, d. The chain b is adapted to be attached to a hook or pin, f, which projects from the front end of the frame, and the rod d is secured at any desired vertical adjustment by means of a transverse pin, which passes through one of the openings cl and bears upon the plate e., By this means it will be readily understood that the front end of tle plow-beam may be readily raised or lowere The hand-lever I, which is hinged to the sliding` block G, has a vertical transverse opening, through which the elevating-rod X passes, and through the said opening, and also through one of the openings X of the rod, extends a transverse pin, which locks the rod X to the lever I at any desired vertical adjustment. By moving the lever up or down it will be readily understood that the rear end of the plowbeam, or, rather, the plowstandards carrying the plow, and also the lower end of the cndless elevator, may be raised or lowered. As the block G is adapted to slide longitudinally in the frame of the machine, the elevatingrod X is always maintained in a vertical position, no matter to what depth the plow and lower end of the elevator may be lowered.

g represents a carrier-trough, which is supported on the arms SL of the brackets S. At one end of the said trough is journaled a roller, h, and at the opposite end thereof is a similar roller, i. An endless belt or apron, lr, connects the rollers h and i and forms the bottom for the trough.

Z represents a pair of depending bracketarms, which are attached to the right-hand beam B, near the rear end thereof, and in the said braeket-arms is journaled a shaft, m. The rear end of this shaft m is connected to the forwardly-projecting spindle of the roller h by means of the sliding sleeve-coupling 1L, and to the front end of the said shaft is attached a gear-pinion, o, which meshes with the wheel I?.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The machine is drawn by a team attached to the draft-pole that is hinged to the front axle, one of the horses walking on one side of the ditch and the other walking on the opposite side thereof. The plow and the lower end of the elevator are lowered to the ground, and the rotating cutting-disks or colters cut the sides of the ditch and the yplow cuts the bottom thereof; and as the said plow is inclined rearwardly and upwardly, the earth which is excavated thereby is carried up and delivered onto the lower end of the elevator. This elevator is operated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3 by being geared to the wheel O, as previously described, and delivers the earth onto the transverse carrier at the rear end of the machine. The said carrier is operated in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2 by being geared to the wheel N, as previously described, and thus carries the dirt which is excavated from the ditch and deposits it on one side thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. In a ditching-machine, the combination I ito the elevating-rod X, substantially as described.

2. In a ditching-machine, the combination of the frame A, having the driving and supporting wheels, the plow suspended from the said frame, the lever to raise and lower the rear end of the plow, the vertically-movable rod d, depending from the front portion of the frame, and the chain b, attached to the front end of the frame, passed through a ring or opening in the lower end of the rod d, and

having its rear end connected to the frontend of the plow, for the purpose set forth, sub stantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM THOMAS FINN ELL.

Witnesses:

XVILLIAn R. l-Linais.

HARK isoN IIAREsDiN.

IOO 

